About Kevin The Roofsmith

Hello everyone and welcome!

I am Kevin and I have been involved in the Roofing Industry going into my 30th year as of 2020.

During this time I have been involved in both the Residential and Commercial markets with an emphasis on the Residential side of things. Many of the applications,procedures and products are used in both except for the fact that the scale of a project is usually larger when dealing with Commercial Roofing Projects. Over the years I’ve really grown to love the Residential Roofing as it allows for a more personal touch to projects and presents more variety.

I really enjoy the process of meeting new people and building new relationships even if it’s only for a short while as is the case being a Roofing Contractor.The average residential roof takes from 2 to 5 to complete start to finish depending on size,complexity,steepness and roofing products chosen. It may also take that long to choose the right product and contractor for your Residential Roof Project.

I created Kevin The Roofsmith company site to help people solve their roofing issues and help them make informed decisions with regard to various types of roofing installations;various types of roofing products and roof maintenance procedures.In addition to these aspects I hope to answer any questions about problems such as roof leaks,attic ventilation and premature roof deterioration.

So Now to me…..

I had left University in my 3rd year disillusioned with the direction I was going.I had little work experience but a burning desire to be in the workforce.Most of my friends at that time seemed to find employment with restaurants as either cooks,servers or dishwashers.No matter what I did I couldn’t crack the restaurant job market.

After much searching I was finally able to land a job as a gas jockey at a local Shell station.In those days we still pumped gas,checked oil and tire pressure,wiped windows and helped the mechanics in the service bays.I come from a Blue Collar background so this was a better fit than the restaurant industry anyway. It was still customer service however and I was expected to represent the company well as the franchise owner was a competitive man who always strove to have his Shell stations win awards for top service etc. However, at $4.35/Hr. and usually working 3-11 Friday nights and 6-3 Saturday mornings I was looking for a change and something that would inspire.

Onward and upward….

I began in the Roofing Industry in the summer of 1989.A high school friend of mine who had been lucky enough to help when his parents roof was done got hired by a local residential roofing company.The company was looking for more labour help and thankfully they took me on. Goodbye gas jockey days. I started out at the bottom where everyone should start that has no experience within a certain field. Yet at $6.00/Hr. it was almost a 38% wage increase from the gas station.

I learned how to set up a job properly to protect the premises during the removal of an old roof. I tore off roofs,packed bundles and cleaned up. I put so much energy into those chores that I would finish them with time to spare during the day so the roofer I worked for began showing me installation. The first product I got experience installing with the 18″ Perfection aka cedar shingle;then came the cedar shake. In those days we installed plenty of cedar for new homes and re-roofs. In addition to cedar products the typical standby for homes was the asphalt shingle.In those days usually the T-Lok or 3 tab square butt asphalt shingle.About this time in the late 80’s/ early 90’s we began to see the “laminate” or “architectural” shingles gain in popularity.

I worked hard and was lucky enough to work some great “old school” roofers who helped me become well versed in all aspects of these product installations:the various intricacies of flashing details,keeping things square and doing so in a timely manner. Everything we did then was by hand.We nailed all of our roof sheathing and shingles by hand.We took pride in that and would “race” to see who could do the best work the fastest. No compressors and air guns like today.

Taking the plunge…

As the years went on and I became more well versed in all the aspects of the Residential Roofing Industry, I became curious more and more about how roofs were measured and priced. I was curious about selling roofs and everything that went into running a company. I had seen firsthand how mistakes in estimates and pricing and choice of employees affected the overall health of a roofing company. Eventually it all came together for me after a decade in the industry and I formed my first company.It allowed me to essentially “hand craft” each project from start to finish with personal touches I felt were necessary when it came to the customer service side of the roofing industry.

I really felt,and still do,that each roof is unique with its own set of properties that need to be addressed to create the perfect project.It isn’t enough to just throw jargon and numbers at people and expect them to understand you. I felt that it was my job to help people make informed decisions about what they were investing in.Whether they went with me or not at least I knew they had all the information necessary to make a confident buying decision.

It is this relationship building with the public that is still the most important thing to me in providing the roof services we do.

I hope this gives you an insight into who I am and what Kevin The Roofsmith represents. This site is an organic,living,breathing extension of my experience in the Roofing Industry and as such will be ever evolving.

Ciao for now and we hope to see you up top!